Alacritous Cogitation

[Defiant]

Isn't this feat just absolutely awesome?

It allows you to cast 1 spell like a sorcerer, with your entire spellbook as your spells known. Now this may be rather limited, and sharply lacking in its resources, but there's a different angle.

If you somehow get captured (and have Eschew Materials, a feat that I'm addicted to), then you can still cast any spell from your entire spellbook, each day. You can use this to get your team out, or stuff like that.

But I still love the idea of having access to your entire spellbook of spells to spontaneously cast any spell you want out of that. Regardless of the circumstances.

What's the prognosis on this?

[Riffington]

The more curveballs your DM tends to throw at you, the better a feat this is.

[Myth]

Pretty good, although any DM worth his salt will trap you in something with a Dimensional Anchor, AMF or the likes. If he want to keep you there that is.

I'd rather use it for that occasional random spell you may never need but this one time. Like Indomitably if you are facing immediate squishing, or that spell that allows you to be unharmed by metal weapons.

[Optimystik]

It can be a nice "oh crap" button, but I severely dislike 1/day feats. What if your clutch spell gets disrupted?

[Cedrass]

It can be a nice "oh crap" button, but I severely dislike 1/day feats. What if your clutch spell gets disrupted?

Better that not having this clutch spell at all, no?

[lsfreak]

Better that not having this clutch spell at all, no?

That depends. That clutch spell cost you a feat.

[Cedrass]

To have the ability to cast any spell on your HUGE spell list at any given time if you need it?

Worth it.

[Gorbash]

It's awesome for those spells that you use rarely, but when you need it, you need it. Corpse Candle, for example. Also, it's worth noting that casting time of that spell become full-round action, meaning, by RAW, spell with a casting time greater than 1 round is, (sort of) quickened. Break Enchantment, for example.

Or you could use it for a spell that you already cast/was dispeled/failed casting it, and really need it again.

It's a really good feat, IMHO. It makes you even more versatile, which is always good.

[Cruiser1]

It allows you to cast 1 spell like a sorcerer, with your entire spellbook as your spells known. If you somehow get captured (and have Eschew Materials, a feat that I'm addicted to), then you can still cast any spell from your entire spellbook, each day."Your spellbook" should only mean a spellbook in your posession. If you get captured, presumably the enemy took away your spellbook, meaning it's no longer yours (unless you escape and take it back). Hence Alacritous Cogitation turns into a wasted spell slot if you're captured, although it's still useful for the "I really wish I had memorized that" scenario during normal adventuring.

[Riffington]

"Your spellbook" should only mean a spellbook in your posession.

Maybe. But the PHB seems to imply that the spellbook a wizard writes herself is "her" spellbook, whereas other spellbooks (bought, borrowed, stolen) are not really "hers". For instance, if she wants to prepare a spell from one of those spellbooks she'll need to make a (trivial) spellcraft roll every time. There may or may not be ways to make another wizard's spellbook truly yours, but mere possession doesn't appear to be quite the same as ownership.

[Gorbash]

"Your spellbook" should only mean a spellbook in your posession. If you get captured, presumably the enemy took away your spellbook, meaning it's no longer yours (unless you escape and take it back). Hence Alacritous Cogitation turns into a wasted spell slot if you're captured, although it's still useful for the "I really wish I had memorized that" scenario during normal adventuring.

That's the silliest interpretation of a rule I ever saw.

[Defiant]

"Your spellbook" should only mean a spellbook in your posession. If you get captured, presumably the enemy took away your spellbook, meaning it's no longer yours (unless you escape and take it back). Hence Alacritous Cogitation turns into a wasted spell slot if you're captured, although it's still useful for the "I really wish I had memorized that" scenario during normal adventuring.

I meant "your spellbook" (meaning your spellbooks if you have more than one) in a matter-of-fact way, not a definition way.

The feat states "any spell you know", so technically even spells that aren't in your spellbook, but you've come across, still function with this feat.

[Vizzerdrix]

"Your spellbook" should only mean a spellbook in your posession. If you get captured, presumably the enemy took away your spellbook, meaning it's no longer yours (unless you escape and take it back). Hence Alacritous Cogitation turns into a wasted spell slot if you're captured, although it's still useful for the "I really wish I had memorized that" scenario during normal adventuring.

Tattoo a few key spells under your hair, or stylishly hidden among real tattoos. The stripes on the heard of zebra on your back, or the feathers on the crain on your leg for example.

[Yzzyx]

Isn't this feat just absolutely awesome?

It allows you to cast 1 spell like a sorcerer, with your entire spellbook as your spells known. Now this may be rather limited, and sharply lacking in its resources, but there's a different angle.

If you somehow get captured (and have Eschew Materials, a feat that I'm addicted to), then you can still cast any spell from your entire spellbook, each day. You can use this to get your team out, or stuff like that.

But I still love the idea of having access to your entire spellbook of spells to spontaneously cast any spell you want out of that. Regardless of the circumstances.

What's the prognosis on this?

Uncanny Forethought (Exemplars of Evil, I believe) is better. You need Spell Mastery, but it lets you spontaneously cast a intelligence modifier times per day (the spells are cast at caster level -2 if they're not spells you've mastered, though). Also, if you're thrown naked into a prison cell with one spell to cast, it's probably going to be teleport, so you don't need Eschew Materials. Other than that, I agree completely.

[dextercorvia]

Also, it's worth noting that casting time of that spell become full-round action, meaning, by RAW, spell with a casting time greater than 1 round is, (sort of) quickened. Break Enchantment, for example.
There is errata (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a). Alacritous Cogitation only allows you to cast spells with a casting time of 1 round or shorter. It is still awesome, and does work on things like Summon Monster. I can see using it at first level to get off a Sleep spell without being disrupted.

[Thurbane]

Indeed. Uncanny Forethought is like Alacritous Cogitation on crack.

Also, the Spontaneous Divination ACF for Wizards (CC p.52). Spontaneously swap out any memorized spell for a Divination spell of the same or lower level.

[Runestar]

Exemplars of evil also has another spell which lets you spontaneously cast glamer spells, IIRC.

Only thing I have against cogitation is that it is 1/day. Knowing myself, I will keep hoarding it for a rainy day which never comes. :smalltongue: